SPICED PEAR TARTE TATIN
This comforting dessert celebrates the fall season with pears and warm spices!
Ingredients
– 1 package (about 14 oz./440 g) frozen puff pastry, thawed
– 4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
– 1 tsp. ground cardamom
– 1 tbs. Fennel seed
– 6 firm, ripe pears, peeled, halved and cored
– 1 cup sugar
– 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter
Directions
Preheat an oven to 325°F
-Toast the fennel seeds lightly until fragrant. Add the lemon juice and set aside to allow the flavors to infuse.
-On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry into a 12-inch square. Using a paring knife, trim the corners of the pastry to turn the square into a 12-inch circle. (It doesn’t have to be perfect, because you will be tucking the edges into the pan.)
-Strain the lemon juice into a large bowl. Add the pears to the bowl and toss to coat them in the mixture. Set aside.
-Place a 10-inch ovenproof pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and turns into an amber-colored caramel, 3 to 4 minutes.
-When the sugar is amber colored, immediately add the butter and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and thoroughly combined into the caramel.
-Arrange the pear halves, cut side up, in the pan to completely cover the pan bottom. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
-Remove the pan from the oven and carefully arrange the pastry on top of the pears, centering the pastry over the pan and tucking the edges between the pears and the sides of the pan. Poke holes in the pastry using a fork.
-Bake until the crust is golden brown, the pears are tender, and a thick syrup forms in the pan, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow the tart to cool and firm up slightly.
-To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the pan. Place a large flat serving plate upside down on top of the pan and invert the tart onto the plate.
Cut into wedges and serve.
